Share this

While the rockets continue to be launched from the Gaza Strip and missiles are directed at missile launch pads, infrastructure, official buildings occupied by Hamas officials, no one, not even President Clinton, will be able to negotiate a peace deal.

If the Egyptians are able to broker some sort of cease fire, the time may be ripe to begin a push for negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Authority. If the damage to Gaza is severe enough, the Palestinians living there and on the West Bank may be discouraged, once again, with the so-called "path of resistance" and absolute rejection of coexistence with a Jewish state in the Middle East embraced by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the countries that supply them with weapons and a false sense of empowerment.

Perhaps, President Clinton can serve to restart negotiations. This confrontation also may chasten Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu - who has been critical of the way in which past military actions in Gaza and Lebanon have been conducted - and convince him that it is much easier to start a war than to end it.

More POLITICO Arena

About the Arena

The Arena is a cross-party, cross-discipline forum for intelligent and lively conversation about political and policy issues. Contributors have been selected by POLITICO staff and editors. Each morning, POLITICO sends a question based on that day's news to all contributors.